Archive for November, 2013

In an earlier Foodie Friday post, we explained how 20th Century kitchen appliances and food creations made women’s lives easier. Take a look at this 1955 video entitled, “A Word to the Wives.” In it, two women conceive of a plan to trick one of their husbands into getting a new modern kitchen. What would you do to get the latest modern conveniences?

THE “PLOT”:

Jane is at her new neighbors’ house. The neighbor is ecstatic over her wonderfully modern kitchen. Jane is depressed.
The neighbor tells Jane she should buy a new hat to make herself happier.

Jane tells the neighbor she cannot go shopping because she does not have a “dream kitchen” and, therefore, does not have time for pleasure. She says she asked her husband, George, multiple times to move to a more modern house but George did not consider it seriously.

Neighbor says she needs “freedom from the unnecessary drudgery” of cooking and cleaning in an outdated kitchen. She suggests that when Jane goes away for the weekend to visit her mother, she leaves work for George to do himself (i.e. not planning out meals ahead of time for her family). If George has to do the housework himself, he might indeed get Jane the modern conveniences she has been wanting.

Jane agrees.

George makes a mess of the stove when trying to cook rice, has no ice cubes for his lemonade, spills garbage all over the floor, has no hot water to do the dishes, and cannot even open his own kitchen cabinet. He gets very frustrated, and ends up yelling at their son and banging on things.

Jane and George go to neighbor’s house for a dinner party. Neighbor explains to George how helpful having the latest kitchen is and tells him she even had time to play golf before getting everything ready for the party.

George discusses getting his own modern kitchen with the salesperson who got the neighbors their kitchen (he is also a guest at the dinner party).

Jane and George move into their own new “dream house.”

Plot is successful!

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